Isotopes Routinely Available: radium-223 and thorium-227

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Isotope Program seeks to remind the user community of the routine availability of radium-223 (Ra-223: t1/2 = 11.4 days) and thorium-227 (Th-227: t1/2 = 18.7 days). These alpha-emitters are obtained from Ac-227 cows to produce very high purity products. Isotopes milked from the cows are separated and purified at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). 

The cows currently have the capability of producing hundreds of mCi of Ra-223 and Th-227 per month, allowing for the capability to support basic science and pre-clinical research. Production at two National Laboratories provides distribution of highly pure Ra-223 and Th-227 across the Nation on a regular basis and addresses a recommendation in the Nuclear Science Advisory Subcommittee on Isotopes (NSAC-I 2015) Long Range Plan.

Quotation requests for Ra-223 and Th-227 may be placed using the National Isotope Development Center’s (NIDC’s) online catalog (https://www.isotopes.gov/catalog/).  If you are interested in further information, please contact Dr. Wolfgang Runde at runde@lanl.gov, Associate Director for Production Planning and Customer Relations, NIDC.